Homemade Cinnamon Rolls ...just like Cinnabon!

As a kid, on special occasions our family would visit the mall after church to visit the pet store & eat humongous cinnamon rolls.  It was a rare occasion, but I remember thinking this is the life!  The other day I had a major craving for those larger-than-life, melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon rolls.  After perusing through a bunch of recipes, I finally settled on this one from Beauty and Bedlam, which yielded goey, rich, cream-cheese frosted cinnamon rolls, just like at Cinnabon!  I brought them to work for a sweet co-worker's last day, and they were a delicious hit!  It was a labor of love, taking around 3 hours from start to finish, but totally worth it.

Ingredients

Dough:

- 1.5 cups granulated sugar

- 3 tablespoons cinnamon

- 2 packs of .25 oz yeast

- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (to activate yeast)

- 2/3 cup granulated sugar

- 2/3 cup butter

- 1 cup hot water (approximately 110 degrees)

- 1 cup warm milk

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 2 eggs slightly, beaten

- Approximately 8 cups flour

Coating:

- 1/2 cup melted butter

- 1.5 cups chopped walnuts or pecans (optional, but highly recommended!)

- 1/2 cup granulated or brown sugar

Icing:

- 8 oz cream cheese

- 8 oz margarine (2 sticks)

- 1 teaspoon vanilla

- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

- 16 oz powdered sugar (2 cups)

Instructions

1. Mix together 1.5 cups sugar and cinnamon.  Set aside for later.

2. In small bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in hot water.  Set aside.

3. In large bowl, mix together milk, 2/3 cup sugar, 2/3 cup butter, milk, salt, and eggs.  Add yeast mixture and 4 cups of flour.  Beat until smooth.  Add flour if necessary until dough is stiff.

4. Place dough on well-floured surface and knead for 8 minutes.  Great for anger processing!  Dough should be stretchy/elastic-y when finished.

5. Place dough in greased bowl and store in a warm place until it has doubled in size (approximately 1 hour).

6. Punch down dough and let rest for 5 minutes.

7. Roll dough out on floured surface into a 15"x20" rectangle.  Brush 1/2 cup butter on dough, and top with cinnamon & sugar mixture and nuts.

8. Tightly roll the dough.  Cut into 12-15 thick slices using dental floss.

9. Coat the bottom of a 13"x9" baking pan with 1/2 cup butter and remaining sugar.  

10. Place cinnamon roll slices close together in the pan; cover and allow to rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size (about 45 minutes).

11. Bake rolls at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until light golden in color.

12. Finally, mix together cream cheese frosting and top warm cinnamon rolls.  Devour immediately... enjoy!